I am very close to buying this bass.. what do you guys think is a fair price for it? What do these usually go for? 
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1980 Fender Precision Special - what's it worth?
- Thread starter remo
- Start date
Nice bass...
A few things to note...Not only verify the serial # on the neck, but crack open the body cavity and date the pots. Getting a body date will help verify. Some tips are here: Invalid Link Removed
Fender basses at that time were assembled with parts sometimes made years apart from each other.
I recently sold a 1979-1981 USA P, and the neck dated at 1979, but the pots were made in April of '81. The Fender guide priced it in the $800-$1200 range. However, I sold it for $750.
If this bass has all original parts, verifiable date of 1980, normal wear and tear or better, works well, I'd say $700 - $800 should be a reasonable price for a Special. Too bad he/she messed up the pick guard. You should be able to negotiate even lower because of it. Buy it and slap a better-looking 1980 pickguard on it and sell it for a grand.
A few things to note...Not only verify the serial # on the neck, but crack open the body cavity and date the pots. Getting a body date will help verify. Some tips are here: Invalid Link Removed
Fender basses at that time were assembled with parts sometimes made years apart from each other.
I recently sold a 1979-1981 USA P, and the neck dated at 1979, but the pots were made in April of '81. The Fender guide priced it in the $800-$1200 range. However, I sold it for $750.
If this bass has all original parts, verifiable date of 1980, normal wear and tear or better, works well, I'd say $700 - $800 should be a reasonable price for a Special. Too bad he/she messed up the pick guard. You should be able to negotiate even lower because of it. Buy it and slap a better-looking 1980 pickguard on it and sell it for a grand.
I didn't see your post w/$800, so we're in the ballpark...try offering $650 and make a stink about the pickguard, but if money isn't an issue for you then $800 is still fair.
Can someone please tell me if a standard P pickguard will fit on this bass? I know I might need to cut a new hole for the third knob under the rear pickup.. also can someone please tell me what there three knobs do on a Fender Special? thanks..
remo said:
I'm not sure (far from a fender expert), but I'd say that the bass is active and the knobs are tone knobs (volume/bass/treble)...there's also a switch there?...what does that do? Active bypass, perhaps, if so...great...
Looks like a standard P-pickguard (with extra holes, of course...but, I couldn't be certain.
I just found the following in the Harmony-Central Database...
It is quite possible that THIS is the bass.
Price Paid: $2200 (AUS dollar) used
Features: 9
1980 Fender p-Bass special
This bass has 2 volumes (one for active circuit), one tone and n active/passive switch.
White pickups, Large durable strap locks and gold hardware.
Sound: 9
A very versatile sound, possibly not for funk as much as rock or blues, though if you add rotosound flatwound strings it begins to get awefully jazzy...
Action, Fit, & Finish: 9
Nice lake placid blue finish on body and head. All adjustments in good working order. Pickups good hight but the metal rusts easily.
Reliability/Durability: 10
Very, very reliable, You could drop this as I have an it would still be in tune. The only problem would be the pickguard as it is very easily broken and cracked. Replace it if you gig regularly befor you break it as it is quite a rare form of pickguard and for resale you want to still have it.
Customer Support: N/A
N/A
Overall Rating: 9
This is a versatile brilliant sounding bass. Very sturdy- perhaps a bit heavy but an essential part of any discerning bass players rig. Perfect for rock and pop particularly but will work for anything that needs a real punch.
It is quite possible that THIS is the bass.
Price Paid: $2200 (AUS dollar) used
Features: 9
1980 Fender p-Bass special
This bass has 2 volumes (one for active circuit), one tone and n active/passive switch.
White pickups, Large durable strap locks and gold hardware.
Sound: 9
A very versatile sound, possibly not for funk as much as rock or blues, though if you add rotosound flatwound strings it begins to get awefully jazzy...
Action, Fit, & Finish: 9
Nice lake placid blue finish on body and head. All adjustments in good working order. Pickups good hight but the metal rusts easily.
Reliability/Durability: 10
Very, very reliable, You could drop this as I have an it would still be in tune. The only problem would be the pickguard as it is very easily broken and cracked. Replace it if you gig regularly befor you break it as it is quite a rare form of pickguard and for resale you want to still have it.
Customer Support: N/A
N/A
Overall Rating: 9
This is a versatile brilliant sounding bass. Very sturdy- perhaps a bit heavy but an essential part of any discerning bass players rig. Perfect for rock and pop particularly but will work for anything that needs a real punch.
lol .. sounds like the same model but the one I'm looking at is in Montreal Canada... thanks for posting is all the same! Yeah I'd like to hear from anyone who owns one of these as to what they think about it.. I'm pretty sure its a active bypass switch.. I might have to email fender to see if a standard P pickguard will fit (if noone can confirm it here).. cheers!!
Hey,Hello from Vancouver Island,Canada....I own 2 specials..lake placid blue and the RED one.79 and an 80..I love them I used a old Musicman stingray for many years and these have become my babies...I still love my stingray ,but the specials are awesome.Some people dont like the weight,but hey...start playin hockey and build some muscle...Anyways,control config is vol-treb-bass in active mode...vol-tone in passive with the 3 knob cancelled...They have a huge sound..I mean huge..Its great for all styles..I play in rock bands ,blues bands ,disco bands,country..funk what have...Been great.The only thing I changed was the bridge..Bad ass 2's on both..Still have the old brass ones in a box..I use it with a SVT and 8 ten cab..Sounds good with anything thats been on stage for amps when I travel...If your getting it for under a grad canadian...Giver eh!!!
sacman said:
I have a white '82 Special.
Just curoius though...what exactly did you gain by removing a high-mass bridge, just to put on another high-mass bridge?
I wonder if Remo ever bought that bass.
The original Precision Special was CBS made from 80-83 MIA.
Single pickup, active/passive switching, gold hardware.
Single pickup, active/passive switching, gold hardware.
I changed the brass bridge to a bad ass 2 because The saddles move a lot when changing the strings..I rotate my strings in methol hydrate and put on a set for each gig...I know I could put nail polish on the saddles and that would solve the problem....but hey,I like the bad asses...
Hi evrybody from Spain this is mine. Sorry for the bad quality of photos but my camera is off. I took it from pc's camera . I'm not sure but I think i'ts from 1980. I saw another like mine but whit maple fretboard. I'd like coments about this model or if somebody knows exactly some specs like body wood or date..etc. Serial number is G 020305 color is pale yellow cream.
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Hello! Does anyone know where to get the original brass thumbrest for this model?
I recently got this one but no thumbrest.
And really want to make the original look.
Any online store?
I recently got this one but no thumbrest.
And really want to make the original look.
Any online store?
I had the exact same red one. Beautiful and the neck is awesome. I changed the stock pickup out and put a Quarter Pounder in it and, to me anyway, really opened up the sound. Stock was good but the Duncan gave it a lot more solid thump and cleaner highs. Wish I still had it, however, I still have the original pickup and actually have the thumbrest with the original screws around here somewhere. Thumbrest is normal wear for the plating but I used a pick and it seemed the thumbrest was always in my way. Just one of many classics that I wish I still had.
